https://makertube.net/videos/watch/abadef52-b819-49fc-bd1c-afd7ee1fc1c0 Friend Miles -- as in, a friend called Miles, not some weird rewards scheme -- posted a picture of an exhibit in Ullapool Town Museum about a strike by 'Herring Girls' in Lowestoft, which is about as far away from Ullapool as you can go on this island. This sent me down a rabbit hole, and I wanted to make it into a song. I wanted there to be Gaelic names involved, so I borrowed his partner's. Ciorstaidh's Carol-Ann is sitting at the quay Knitting up a gansey for her Angus out at sea Ciorstaidh's Carol-Ann is sending home her pay So Carol-Ann's Catriona never has to live this way From Stornoway in springtime, and working round the coast The trawlers trail the herring and the women trail the boats Yet another milk train, yet another port Yet another fishing boat and all the fish it caught Ciorstaidh's Carol-Ann is sitting at the quay Knitting up a gansey for her Angus out at sea Ciorstaidh's Carol-Ann is sending home her pay So Carol-Ann's Catriona never has to live this way Reverend Gilfillan turn the hall into the kirk It's good to hear the Gaelic in her worship and her work She almost smells the sulphur as he preaches to the crowd Hellfire and damnation and we're all the sinners now Ciorstaidh's Carol-Ann drops onto her knees And offers up a prayer for her Angus out at sea Ciorstaidh's Carol-Ann is sending home her pay So Carol-Ann's Catriona never has to live this way By way of smiles and gestures the landlady understands She needs a basin for her cracked and swollen hands She hums herself a lullaby and tries to wash away The blood and oils and odours of a 15-hour day Ciorstaidh's Carol-Ann dreams of Loch Maree Dreams about a Christmas-time with Angus home from sea Ciorstaidh's Carol-Ann is sending home her pay So Carol-Ann's Catriona never has to live this way Tue, 20 Oct 2026 17:54:44 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://v.basspistol.org https://v.basspistol.org/lazy-static/avatars/d7490605-16bc-4b51-bf0a-6e1e62047873.png https://makertube.net/videos/watch/abadef52-b819-49fc-bd1c-afd7ee1fc1c0 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://v.basspistol.org/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.